Female foeticide needs to be fought strongly: Maneka Gandhi

Panipat : Stressing that the society as a whole needs to change the mindset towards the girl child to end problem of female foeticide, Union minister Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday said practice was more prevalent among the middle, upper-middle and rich sections of society.

Though there was a healthy sex ratio in the North Eastern Region and tribal areas, Gandhi noted with concern that in some parts of the country it has been observed that incidences of female foeticide were more prevalent among the middle, upper middle and rich sections of the society.

The sex ratio is healthy in the country's eastern parts but as one moves to the "more developed western parts", the problem raises its head, she said after inaugurating a workshop on "Best Practices for Women and Child Development", as part of "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" programme to be launched from here by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22.

"We need to change the mindset. Today is just the beginning. We must see a visible difference in the next two years...," Maneka said at the two-day national workshop.

Gandhi said reward of Rs 1 crore will be given for the innovative village which attains a balanced sex ratio and District Commissioner or ambassadors of the campaign will be suitably rewarded by the government. There were many districts in Haryana where the ratio was dismal, with worst being Sonepat, Jhajjar and Rewari.